Running gear



D. l... VAN LEUVEN RUNNING GEAR Filed Feb` 18. 1925l 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 am m Jan. l0, 1928.

. D. L. VAN LEUVEN,

RUNNING GEAR Filed Feb. 18 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 D. L. VAN LEUVEN .RUNNING GEAR v Jnv." TQ', "1928;"

Filed Feb. 18, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Il 29 'I 30 I. r11/11111] A.. y /33 I A j A Patented Jan. 10, 1928.`

UNITED STATES DAVID L. VAN LEUVEN, 0F EASTMONT, CALIFORNIA.

RUNNING GEAR.

Application filed February This invention relates to the running gears of motor vehicles,V and more especially to that type having a plurality of pairs of rear wheels as, for example, the six Wheel type of chassis. Such six wheel chassis are employed for carrying loads so heavy that the load limit set by statute for four wheelvehicles would be exceeded.

An important object of the invention is to provide a construction which can be readily used as an attachment to change a four wheel vehicle into a six wheel one.

r Another object is to provide a construction that will insure traction for the drive Wheels while the auxiliary rear wheels are rising and falling over relatively great irregularities in the roadway'.4

An object is to effect close coupling of the ,y

two pairs of Wl1eels, thus enabling the six wheel type of chassis to employa frame that needs to be nolonger than that used for thefour wheel type.

Another object is to facilitate steering of the auxiliary wheels. It is customary to mount the dirigible wheels of motor vehicles so as to tend to trail, or run-along paths that are at right angles to the axle. To effect this the axle is mounted so as to be tilted, thus tilting the steering knuckles, the spindles of which have their axes eccentric to the longitudinal axis of the axle.v When a vehicle isprovidedwvith three axles, as in the six wheel type, the intermediate axle must rise and fall relative to the frame when the vehicle passes over irregularities of the roadway. Unless provision is made to prevent it., the intermediate axle will turh about its longitudinal axis las it rises and falls relative to' the frame, thus often changingl the tilt of the steering knuckles to a degree that makes steering very difficult. This invention provides a parallel 4motion construction to avoid this difficulty. n

Another object is to provide a. steering gear for the front and. auxiliary 'pairs of Wheels that will permit of perfect alignment of one pair with the other pair, even though some of the parts of the steering gear should be bent or the joints become excessively `loose through wear. r

A further object is to connect the frontand rear steering wheels in a manner that therear steering wheels will tend to align f with the f ront steeringl Wheels Aand cannot be deflected suticiently to throw the rear end 18, 1925. SerialNo. 9,939.

lof the vehicle to one side or the other of the line of travel of the vehicle.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the rear portion of the running gear illustrated,

in Fig. 1,.the` view corresponding to the view of the same parts in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line indicated by 5 5, Fig. 1.

Figs. (5, 7 and 8 are enlarged sectional details on the lines indica-ted by 6 6;` 7 7, 8 8, respectively, Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view'illustrating the parallel motion construction for maintaining the auxiliary axle against turning about its longitudinal axis as it moves toward and from the frame.

Fig. 10 is a side view 4of a modified means for slidably connecting the rear and auxiliary springs.

Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation on the lineindicated byf11 11, Fig. 10.

The chassis frame of, thel running gear is indicated at 11 and at its forward end the frame is supported on "leaf springs 12 in the usual manner, said leaf springs being carried by a front axle 13. At its opposite ends the axle 13 is provided with steering knuckles 14. Rotatably mounted on the steering knuckles- 14 are front steering Wheels 15 constituting a pair. These wheels are, therefore, dirigibly connected with the axle.

Steering of the front Wheels is effected in the usual manner, the steering knuckles 14 having rearwardly projecting arms 16, 17 respectively. and to said arms are pivoted the opposite ends of a tie or cross rod 18. One of the steering knuckles 14 is provided with a second arm 19 which is connected to an operating member 2O controlled by the driver of the automobile through the usual operating mechanism, indicated in general at a. l

`To the rear portion of the frame 11 are pivotally connected, `in the usual manner, leaf springs 21 thatV are supportedinterin which the drive axle (not shown) is positioned,` a pair of rear wheels 23 being driven by said axle. The mounting ofthe rear springs 21 may be standard with the exception that, instead of one end of each of said springs beingeonnected by shackles in the usual manner with the frame 11, in one construction, Fig. 4, there is pivoted to each of the springs 21 at 24 a furcated shackle arm and pivoted at 26 to each of the arms 25 is a pair ,of shackle links 27 leaf spring 29, that may be of reverse curvature to the spring 2l. The reverse curvature of the springs 29 admits of close cou- 'plingv of the drive wheels and auxiliary wheels as the springs 21, 29 can be in overlapping relation. The shackle connecting the spring 21' to the frame is indicated yat 291. y,

In Figs! 10, 11 there is shown a means for slidably connecting the springs 21a, 29, corresponding to the springs 21, 29, said means comprisinga guide 65 secured by the shackle bolt 24a and bolt 66 tothe spring 21". The guide 65 has a longitudinal opening 67, the bottom wall of said opening forming a seat 68 for one end of the spring29 to slide on and the side walls preventing relative side play between the adjacent ends of the springs 21, 29B.

The construction now to be described is the same for opposite sides of the running gear and, accordingly, only the parts at one side will be described. The spring 29 is ful- V crumed by suitable means on the frame 11 and the fulcruming means are constructed, in this instance, as follows:

Secured to the intermediate portion of the springs' 29 is a U-shape arm 30 that 'embraces said spring, Y U-bolts 31 passing through ears 32 of the arm 30 beneath the spring 29. securing said arm and spring against relative movement. The arm is provided atits lower lend with a bearing 33 journaled on a stud 34 which projects from a support 35 riveted or otherwise secured at 36 to the frame 11, a taper pin 37 extend- .ing through the stud 34 preventing the arm 30 from slipping olf of the stud 30.

As stated above, one end of the spring 29- is pivotally connected with the shackle arm 25, the other end of said spring being pivoted by a shackle bolt 38 between-the furcations of a furcated bracket 39 bolted or otherwise secured at 40 to an auxiliary axle 41. The axle 41 is provided at its opposite ends with steering knuckles 42rand rotatably mounted on said steerin knuckles are the auxiliary wheels 43 constltuting a pair.l These wheels are, therefore, dirigibly connected with vthe axle. In the kinstance shown in the drawings, the auxiliary axle. 41

is Apositioned intermediately of the front and rear axles or, in front of the rear axle, but it is to be understood that, if desired,

the axle 41fmay be positioned at the rear end l vsame direction as the steering knuckles 14. which are pivoted by shackle bolts 28 to a The steering knuckles 42 have forwardly projecting arms 44 which are pivotally con.- nectedat 45 to the opposite ends of a tie or crossrod 46, a connecting member 47 on one end of the rod 46 carryingone ofthe pivots 45. This member 47 is pivotally connected at one end at 48 to a connecting rod-49.that lextends transversely from one side ofthe frame 11 to the opposite side thereof. The other end of the connecting rod 49 is pivotally connected at 50 to a stud 51 which engages in one of a number of holes 52 in a crank arm 53 which is fixed to a rock shaft 54. By adjusting the stud 51 to different holes 52, the throw of the connecting rod 49 can be increased or diminished. The rock shaft 54 is journaled in bracket bearings 55, riveted or otherwise secured to the frame 11. The rock shaft 54 is provided with another crank arm 56 pivotally connected at 57 to a connecting rod 58 that extends transversely from one side of the frame to the other and the connecting rod 58 is pivotally connected.

at 59 to a nut 60 that 'is screwed onto one endfof the arm 17, said arm 17 having a reduced portion 61 passing through the associated steering knuckle 14 and the nut 60 being screwed onto said reduced portion. The pivotal connection `57 may be adjustablealong the crank arm 56 the same as described for the connecting rod 49.

It is to be noted that the axle 41 is atilt (see Fig. 4), the tilt being forwardly and downwardly when the axes of the wheels 15, 23, 43 are in a plane, that the steering knuckles 42, in consequence, are also atilt .forwardly and downwardly, and that the spindles 421 have their axes .eccentric to the longitudinal axis ofv the axle 41. This construction is well known in .this art and is for the4 purpose of causing the wheels on the spindles 421 to trail or run along paths where thesteering knuckles,

' tance between the pivot 48 lof the auxiliary wheels Y vf 1 41,655,431*

","3 l 30 constituting one member 'of `saidfconstruction, each of the brackets 39 consti- `tut-ing a second member,'that portion of each .one end at 63 to the supports 35 and at their other ends at 64 to the brackets 39. The distance between the pivots 38, 64 is the same as -that between the stud 34 and pivot 63, thus making, in Fig. 9, the-line 'a connecting the pivots 63, 64, parallel with the line b connecting'the pivots 34, 38. When the axle 41 moves toward the frame it causes the pivots 38, 64 to swingin ,arcs about the pivots 34, 63, respectively, as shown by the broken lines indicating the change in position of the lines a, I), thus maintaining the tilt of the axle 41 and steerin knuckles 42 regardless of the position of t e axle 41 relative to the frame 11. f In the operation of steering the vehicle, the operating member 20will be moved to steer the front wheels, in a manner well understood in this art, and the motion will be transmitted through the connecting rod 58.and crank arm` 56 to the rock shaft 54 which, in turn, will operate the connecting rod 49 through the crank arm.53 so` as to swin the arm 44 and cause steering vof the auxiliary wheels. The steeringknuckles 42 will not turn through as greatl an ang-le as the steering knuckles 14, because "the disandaxis of the steering knuckle 42` is greater than-the distance' between'the pivot 59 andl axis of-the steering 'knuckle 14, but th'esteering'fradius in relation .to that of the front wheelsinaybe readilyf-altered--by changing the positioniotthe stud 51 to a different hole 52.

An advantage of having thel rock shaft 54 on one side of the frame and the connecting Arods 49, '58 extending transversely from the rock shaft to the steering knuckles that they control, is that the connecting rods 19, 58 can swing in an-arc ina horizontal plane about the pivots 50, 57 without'turning 'the rock shaft 54. In other words, looseness, resulting .from wear at the joints ofthe steering mechanism, lwill not 'throw the front wheels and auxiliary wheels out of alignment as is the case wherelthe oonnec ,tions between the steering knuckles vis more direct and extend on that 'side of the frame with which said connections cooperate, are positioned. v The auxiliary wheels, also owing to this construction of the steering gear, cannot be de'- flected bythe sides of a rut so as to climb out` of such rut and throw therear iend of the vehicle to one side or the other of the line of travel of the vehicle.

It will be seen that, by havingthe springs 2.9 reversed relative the sprin 21, said;`

thus re ucing' the; between the wheels springs may -overlap, length of the wheel base 23, 43. This is quite van advantage, especially kwhen the auxiliary wheels are to be installed on a chassis of the yfour wheel type. -If the up and down motion of the auxiliary wheels 43 is excessive, owing to extreme irre larities in the road surface, such motion wi l be taken care of by vturning of the springs 29 about the fulcrum point of said` springs, namely, the studs 34.

To limit pivotal movement of each of.

the arms 2 5 vit is preferable to make the arm L-shape, to have the spring 21 embraced by the urcatlons of said arm,

and to have a bolt '69 in said arm extend across the arm beneath 4the spring 2'1. The arms 25 are mainly for the purpose of enabling the 'springs 21, 29'to vbe connected in overlap- .ping relation -which permits the use ofonger springs or closer coupling( vof the lrear and auxiliary axles than if said springs were not thus overlapped.

I claim I y1. A running gear for vehicles, comprising axles, a pair of wheels rotatably connected with one of the axles,a pair of wheels rotatably and dirigibly connected with another of the'axles, the axis` of rotation of the last -wheels being eccentric to the longitudinal axis of the associated axle and said associated axle being atilt about its longitudinal axis in a direction to position the axes of rotation rearwardly of thev said axis-ofthe axle, a chassis frame, leaf ysprings supported intermediate of Vtheir ends on the first mentioned axle and. connected at one end to' at oneend fthe frame, leaf springs supported means fulon the second `ment1oned axle, crumm'g the second-mentioned springs in .termediateof their endson the frame, 'means movably connecting mentioned sprin s to .second mentione springs, and means operatning in conjunction withthe second mentioned springs associated therewith about its. longitudinal axis when said axle moves yin -an arc about s the fulcrum of ,the second mentioned springs without vibrating said .-'econd mentioned Spring's., l y

2.- A runningvgear for vvehicles comprising axles, a .pair of lwheels rotatably connected with each ofthe axles, a .chassis frame, leaf springs Asupported intermediate of their Vends on one 0f theaxles and pivotall connected at one end tov the frame, other eaf springs pivotally connected at one end to another of the axles, means fulcruming the intermediate portion of springs on the frame, necting springsto tioned springs, and radiusrods connected -to to prevent turning of the axle the other end of the firsttheother end of the' lio .125 the` second mentioned u meausmovably con' the other end of the iirst mentioned the other end of the second men- 'no necting the other end of the first mentioned.

springs to the other end of the second mentioned springs, and radius rods pivotally connected at one end to the first mentioned brackets and at their other end to the second mentioned brackets. I

Ll. A ruiming gear for vehicles comprising axles, a pair of wheels rotatably connected with each axle, the wheels-of one pair being dirigible and mounted to trail in the normal running thereof with the forward pair of wheels, and means comprising links and a spring composing a parallelogram yieldingly connecting the frame to the axle of said dirigible wheels and operating to hold the axle having then dirigible wheels in position as said axle moves up and down relative to the 'fx-ame.

5.` In a truck chassis, the combination of a frame, a pair of steering wheels, a pair ot drive wheels, a third pair of wheels, axles secured to vthe frame in spaced relation for supporting the wheels, a pair of springs secured to the frame at one end, means for securing the driving wheel axle at an intermediate point of the springs, the springs being curved upwardly from the axle, a pair ot third wheel axle springs, the latter springs being secured at their ends to the third wheel axle at opposite sides of the frame and being curved downwardly, means for connecting the adjacent endsl of the springs together on the opposite sides ot' the trarne, and means for securing the third wheel axle springs to theirame.

G. In a truck chassis, the comblnatlon of a lrai'ne, a pair of steering wheels, a pair of` drive wheels,v a third pair of wheels, axles secured to the frame in spaced relation for supporting the wheels, a pair of springs secured to the frame at one end, means for securing the driving wheel axle to an intermediate portion of the springs, the springs being' curved upwardly from theaxle, a pair of third wheel axle springs, means for fulcruming the latter springs from the frame, the latter springs being curved downwardly from the ulcruming means, means for connecting the adjacent ends of the springs on the opposite sidesof the frame, and

'means for securing the-free ends of the-'third fwheel axle springs to the third wheel axle.

7, In a ytruck chassis, the combination of a frame, a pair of steering wheels, a pair of drive wheels, a third V pair of wheels, axles secured tothe frame in spaced relation for supporting the wheels, a pair of springs secured to the frame at one end, means for securing the driving wheel axle to an intermediate portion of the springs, the springs belng curved upwardly from the axle, a pair of third wheel axle springs, means for fulcruming the latter springs from the frame, the latter springs bemg curved downwardly from the fulcruming means, means for connecting the adjacent ends of the springs on theopposite sides of the fra1nes,'means for securing the free ends of the third wheel axle springs to the third wheel axle, and

radius rods pivotally connected at one end to the fulcruming means and vpivotally connected at their opposite ends to the third wheel axle.

8. In a truck chassis, the combination of a frame, a pair of steering wheels, a pair of rear wheels, a third pair of wheels, axles for supporting the wheels and secured to the frame in spaced relation, v'a pair of springs fulcrumed to the driving wheel axle, means forsecuring one end of the springs to the frame, the springs being curved upwardly from the axle, brackets secured to the frame, means supported by the brackets for fulcruming asecond pair of springs, the latter said springs being curved downwardly from the fulcruniimg means, links pivotally connecting the adjacent ends of the springs on the opposite sides ottlie frame, and the opposite end of the latter said springsbeing connected with the third wheel axle.

9. In a truck chassis, the combinationI of a frame, a pair of steering wheels, a pair of rear wheels, a third .pair ot wheels, axles for supporting the wheels and secured to the :trame in spaced relation, a pair ot' springs fnlcrumed to the driving wheel axle, means for securing one end of the springs to the frame, the springs being curved upwardly from the axle, brackets secured to the frame, means supported'by the' brackets for fulcrulning asecond pair of springs, the latter said springs beingcurved downwardly from .the fuleruming means, links pivotally connecting the adjacent ends of the springs on the opposite sides of the frame, the opposite end of the latter said springs being connected with the third wheel axle, and radius rods secured at one end to the third wheel axle and secured at their opposite end to the frame.

10. A vehicle having a front axle, a pair of rear axles, ground wheels rotatable upon said axles, means for driving the ground wheels on one of the rear axles, springs secured intermedate their ends to the driven rear axle, means' for pivotally securing-'one end of each of said springs t6 the frame of .l5 the vehicle,

means for pivotally connecting said levers to the other end of each of said springs and to 5 the other rear axle, said levers being mounted s for independent equalization on opposite sides of the vehicle.

l1. A vehicle having a frontaxle, a pair of rear axles, ground Wheels. rotatable upon said axles, .means for driving the ground wheels on one of the rear axles, springsse cured intermediate theirends to the driven rear axle, means for pivotally securing one end of each of said springs,- tothe frame of springs pivotally secured inter'-4 mediate their ends to the frame on each side of the 'frame, means for pivotally connecting the adjacentends of the springs on each side of the frame, means for connecting the the other of said axles, the springs `*being opposite ends of the second said springs to mounted for vindependent equalization' onv opposite sides of the rame 12. A-vehiele. having a front axle, a pair..

of rear axles, ground wheelsrotatable upon said axles, means for driving the .ground wheels on one of said axles, springsfsecured intermediate their ends toi the driven rear axle, means for connecting one end of each of said springs to theffra'me of thevehicle, spindles secured to the frame, levers rotatable upon saidv spindles, .means for connecting said levers .to the other end of each spring to permit relative movement of the- .ends of said springs and levers, and means for eonnectmgsaid levers to the other rear axle, said levers being mounted for independent equalization on opposite sides 0f the frame. p

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 12th day of February, 1925.

- DAVID L. VAN LEUVEN. 

